Hantavirus Outbreak on Dutch‑Flagged Cruise Ship Affects Passengers from Multiple Nations

The World Health Organization reported a cluster of hantavirus infections linked to a Dutch‑flagged cruise ship that departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on 1 April 2026. The vessel, which carried about 150 passengers and crew from 23 nationalities, sailed across the South Atlantic, stopping in Antarctica, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena and Ascension Island before mooring off Cabo Verde.

As of 4 May 2026, health authorities have identified seven to eight cases, including three deaths and one patient in intensive care. Laboratory testing confirmed the Andes strain of hantavirus in several patients. Three infected passengers—nationalities from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Germany—were evacuated to hospitals in their respective countries, while additional cases have been reported in South Africa, Spain and other nations.

Public health teams from the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, the United Kingdom and other affected countries are conducting isolation, contact‑tracing and medical‑evacuation measures. WHO assessed the risk to the general public as low but emphasized continued vigilance among travellers and health providers. The ship is expected to continue toward the Canary Islands, where Spanish officials say its arrival poses no public‑health threat.